Fight against supermarket on Exmouth Rugby Club site continues

Comments (0)

A group of residents in Exmouth have vowed to continue their fight against East Devon District Council’s plans to relocate Exmouth Rugby Club to make way for a supermarket and new homes.

The Exmouth Citizens Forum formed in 2004 with the tagline, ‘save our shoreline’.

Around 11,000 people signed a petition launched by the group against development proposals for supermarket giant, Asda, at the rugby ground adjacent to the Imperial Recreation Ground, which subsequently pulled-out.

In May, a district council spokesperson confirmed again the authority’s ambition for the construction of a supermarket on the site in order to generate the income to enable further improvements to the area.

Cabinet members discussed the latest plans in private and no further details were revealed.

Now, a spokesperson has confirmed that if a relocation for the rugby club is secured and a supermarket is attracted to the site “then the Estuaryside area will be redeveloped in line with the Exmouth Masterplan”.

Chris Parks, who has been the chairman of Exmouth Rugby Club for 10 years, said that the only relocation option the council has presented to them is to relocate to Rolle Playing Fields on Douglas Avenue.

He confirmed that discussions with the council and developers Eagle One, which own the Rolle Playing Fields site, are ongoing but as yet, no formal offer has been made. He also confirmed that the club’s current location is a “great site” but understood the council’s ambition for regeneration and the benefits it could bring to the town.

He added that a possible move to a new site presents an “opportunity” for improved pitches and club facilities.

This, he said, would benefit the whole community, including groups and Exmouth Community College and primary schools which use the pitches.

Megan Armstrong, Exmouth Citizens Forum chairwoman, said the concerns the group had a decade ago when a supermarket development was first mooted for the rugby club site, remain the same. She said the forum is still active and will continue its opposition to the council’s supermarket proposals if there is still public concern.

“People come to Exmouth for the views over the estuary,” she said. “A supermarket means increased traffic, would take away business from the town and could impact on the sensitive environmental surroundings.

“It’s frustrating that we campaigned for years and years and we haven’t been listened to.”

Article source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/27212894

Fight against supermarket on Exmouth Rugby Club site continues